Heart of Ice
by UnloveTrack
Summary: The Ducks thought they had smoothed out all the bumps in their freshmen year at Eden Hall. None of them saw Carter coming; the new assistant coach with a cold disposition toward the team. Even the most persistent of ducks will be unable to warm her heart.
1. Carter

The Eden Hall Ducks were all very confused when they all left the team change rooms and headed toward the ice rink. Their coach from last year, Coach Orion, had yet to be seen. The last time they saw Coach Orion was right before summer and now it was their first practice of sophomore year and he was missing in action. The team just hoped that he hadn't been fired or worse, replaced.

When the team entered the rink they were surprised to see a girl standing there in a pair of worn hockey skates. It was the first time they noticed the upbeat music playing in the background. The team all looked at each other with confusion evident in their expressions. Had they all gotten the information wrong; were they early for practice? Did they even have practice today?

Unanimously and silently it was decided that Charlie, the team captain, would speak on their behalf. The girl to this point had been standing with her back toward the entrance to the rink and seemed to have her head tilted back to look at all the banners hanging from the wall.

"Excuse me?" Charlie called loudly, the girl turned immediately and smiled. Adam gaped at the girl as she skated toward the team; possibly so Charlie didn't have to raise his voice anymore.

"No way," He muttered in disbelief; Connie who was standing next to him looked over in annoyance feeling as though Adam knew something that she didn't.

"What?" She hissed but Adam was ignoring her and thinking back to this morning when his father had dropped him off at school today. He should have recognized the girl immediately just from her thin fabric sweat pants which were frayed badly at the bottom and had copper stains splattered on the shins. This morning she had been wearing beat up sneakers with a few holes in them.

From the bottom down she looked like any normal kid on the street, Charlie had multiple pairs of jeans in the same state as her pants and once wore a shoe that had a hole the size of three fingers. Her torso on the other hand was beautifully dressed. The blue shirt she wore was scrunched at the neckline and had a string tied in a bow at the front. Overtop of this blue shirt was a black sweater with only the first button down up so that the edges blew out behind her as she walked and now skated.

He had thought she was beautiful; the blue and black worked very well with her ivory skin and dark hair that fell below her shoulders in soft curls. When he saw her this morning she was being dragged across campus by her wrist and her cerulean eyes were narrowed in some sort of anger. He hadn't seen who was leading her into Eden Hall but he had noticed how she stood out amongst the other students.

No girl at this school would wear shoes in that kind of condition let alone pants that was missing strips of cloth from the hem.

"Banks, what is it?" Connie hissed again bringing Adam out of his reverie.

"Nothing, I just saw her this morning." He murmured softly to her. By now the girl had stopped in front of them and raised a clipboard.

"The Eden Hall Ducks I presume?" She asked in a very businesslike tone. The team looked around at each other again and then turned to their fearless leader.

"That's us, the Ducks." Charlie confirmed. The girl gave a curt nod and Adam was fascinated by how the light reflected off her hair and he was slightly curious as to whether or not her hair was black or really dark brown. He also wondered if there were red highlights or something because when the light hit her hair a certain way it looked red in some parts. Some sections were lighter than others, too. She had very nice hair and her cheeks were rosy from being out on the ice.

The girl then pulled back the sleeve of her sweater to reveal a small wrist watch and then turned the face of the watch toward her.

"You're exactly four minutes and twenty-three seconds late for practice. That's not a good way to start off the season. Let's get started now; shall we? You all can think of me as your own personal hell; I will not go easy on any of you under any circumstances. I will work you so hard that you'll be lucky if you are able to walk off the ice. We are going to have a very rocky love and hate relationship. I will love being here with you and you will hate me and wish that I would be struck by lightning where I stand. Understood?"

The team stared at each other in confusion and more than one person scoffed. More or less they were all thinking as one and what they were thinking was; who the hell does this chick think she is? The team started to whisper among themselves; vocalizing their disbelief.

The girl stood up straight with her shoulders rolled back; accentuating her womanly curves and skated closer to the entrance. She fished something out of her shirt and placed it in her mouth. A powerful blast emitted from the whistle right in the Ducks' captain's face. He cringed away from it and the team was immediately silenced.

"I said: is that understood maggots!" She yelled like a general in military school.

The team nodded briskly with resentment and bitterness in their eyes. It was obvious that this girl meant business and whoever she was; she called the shots.

"Good," She commended softly; skating backwards slowly. "I expect you to give me thirty laps in two minutes time starting... now." She commanded coolly; staring down at her wrist watch. The team looked at each other and then stepped onto the ice and began skating around the rink; glaring at the small girl that stood in the center watching with cold eyes. Charlie kept glancing toward the entrance of the rink and to the stands in search of their coach.

Adam sighed as his attraction for the girl melted away. She was cold and hostile and the way she spoke nearly froze his bloods right in his veins. He was the only one not glaring at her as he skated and he noticed that she was staring intently at the entrance and making markings on her clipboard.

The sounds of their skates gliding and cutting into the ice were covered by the music. Some songs were so catchy that the team would probably have them stuck in their heads for the rest of the week.

"Time is up, come grab a knee." She shouted; she was staring intently at her clipboard so she didn't see Luis crash into the boards but she certainly heard it and looked up to see him lying flat on his back on the ice. She shook her head and continued to flip through the papers on her clipboard.

The team gathered a knee and stared up at her with mixed expressions of relief, contempt and already exhaustion.

"Mendoza, I commend you on being the only duck to actually reach the quota but that achievement is spoiled by your inability to stop. The rest of you fell short, some of you should think about spending some time working on speed and strengthening your leg muscles. I hope to see improvements by the fourth practice. Now when I call your name and number please stand and follow me: Banks, Adam number 99."

Adam nervously stood and skated a bit behind the nameless girl. She turned suddenly and began to lift her shirt to which Adam evaded his eyes with a deep flush coloring his cheeks.

"This is a red bandana. The objective of this exercise is to simply take this bandana from me. Do you think you can succeed Banks?"

"Yes." Adam replied sounding confident. How was this a challenge at all?

"Then come and get it." She challenged. Adam lunged for the bandana but she easily dodged left and shoved him down. While he was pushing himself up she created some distance between them and when he began to approach her she twisted around and turned to skate away. Adam was fast on her trail and reaching around to grip the bandana when she gripped his arm and pulled him forward and used his own momentum to send him flying past her. He leaned heavily on the edges of his skates and began to pursue her once more.

"Still think its so easy Banks?" She taunted skating backwards and turning left and right while going backwards. He growled in frustration and reached for the bandana again but she gripped his forearms and pulled him flush against her and had the nerve to laugh.

"You're the first-line center right?" She asked quietly. Adam nodded in response breathing heavily. "Treat this like a face off, take what you want from me and knock me down. Banks, you're bigger than me; use that to your advantage. Be aggressive not arrogant." She instructed before ducking down and pulling his leg out from under him.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Charlie cried.

"Banks, thank you for trying but I'll have to classify this as an incomplete. Number 96, Conway comma Charlie; tell me do your opponents always play fair?"

"No, they don't but you're not an opponent and this isn't a game." He defended.

"I see. Conway, would you please stand and attempt to take this bandana from me?" She requested and her sudden use of manners seemed strange but she still spoke distantly and coolly with authority. Adam was satisfied to see that Charlie was unable to complete the task, as was everyone on the team.

She knocked people down (most shockingly was Portman and Fulton) or kept so far ahead that they were unable to get close enough to get the bandana. All in all the team was not happy but it seemed neither was she.

"What is wrong with all of you? I'm small! I'm also tired and yet none of you were able to take the bandana from me! Who can tell me why?"

"You played dirty." Portman shouted indignantly.

"Exactly and what do you do when your opponents are playing dirty?" She asked; barking like a drill sergeant.

"Play dirty back." Averman joked.

"Wrong, you keep playing clean. The ref won't see everything and you have a responsibility to this school and your coach to always play fair. When someone grabs onto you and pulls you down, get back up and keep skating. There is no 'I' in hockey so whatever happens to you independently out on the ice is not priority. You know what else? You are a team, I guarantee you that if two or more of you attempted to take this bandana you would succeed." She took the time while she spoke to make eye contact with every player, making shivers run down their spines at the intimacy and intensity of the situation.

Then something caught her eye.

"Ah, coach Orion, do you have anything you'd like to say to your team?" The team turned their heads so fast that some of them were certain to suffer whiplash.

"Team, I'm sure by now you've gotten acquainted with my niece and the new assistant coach."

"She's an Orion; that explains everything!" Averman exclaimed. Something in her eyes seemed to harden like the ice they all were supported by.

"Actually, I am not an Orion." She snapped and then continued calmly. "You may call me Carter, addressing me as anything else will have dire consequences. The first time you call me anything other than Carter you will do thirty sprints. Five for each letter of the name you will learn to respect."

"Alright team; you have fifteen minutes to clear out of the locker room. And remember to stay away from Varsity until we play them. We will see you bright and early tomorrow morning." Coach Orion dismissed and the ducks all dragged themselves off the ice.

"What do you think of the new assistant coach?" Goldberg questioned as they headed down the hall.

"I think she's hot but a frigid bitch." Portman stated at once.

"Yeah, she's definitely attractive." Many guys commented.

"Well it's nice to know what you all think of my niece." Orion stated coolly from behind them.

They entered the locker room in silence under the penetrating glare of their coach and the even more chilling glare coming from Carter.


	2. Mutiny

The Ducks didn't see Carter in any of their classes and it brought their curiosity to a whole new level. There was this aura of mystery surrounding this girl; a lot of it revolved around what her first name might be. The team agreed that she couldn't be much older than them but she appeared much older by the way she held herself and the eloquence of which she spoke.

It became a game at first. They would all make guesses at what her first name might be; only in the privacy of their dorm rooms and never around Carter herself in fear of sprints. The team was often left with her for the first half of practice and then Orion would come and take over. She challenged them all in different ways.

It wasn't until after the third practice with the Ice Queen (as Averman had started to refer to her as) that Russ brought up a good point that the team thoroughly agreed with.

"Man, why should we listen to this girl anyway? What does she know about hockey other than she's coach's niece? What makes her qualified to boss us around? I bet you she doesn't even play hockey!"

The thought had never occurred to them before and now that someone had worded it they were curious as to what gave Carter the credentials to tell them to sprint or to crawl on the ice and to drop and get up. What made her think that she was capable of making the team able to do near thirty laps in three minutes?

"I say we mutiny!" Goldberg suggested in the locker room. There was a chorus of agreements all except for Adam. Carter had given him a lot of great advice for when he took the face off. Also she gave him tips on distracting the goalie but most of all he really just liked the fact that she challenged him.

He didn't say any of that to his team and so mutiny they did.

When Carter coldly demanded laps, no one moved. Adam wanted to but Charlie and Portman had him subdued and he didn't want to go against the Ducks again. He wasn't stupid enough to make the same mistakes from a year ago.

She didn't look at all shocked at their disobeying her demands. In fact she seemed to welcome this with a small and rare smile that wasn't at all amused. It was more rueful and malicious than anything else and then she began to speak to them with a coldness that she had never used.

"Did you finally decide that there was no hope for you in hockey?" She asked and Adam realized that she must be baiting them. No, he corrected, not them. She was baiting Charlie like she had been doing almost every practice. "Or have you all finally opened your eyes and see that I'm just a girl? Did you finally begin to question why you were listening to someone who can't possibly be any older than yourselves?"

"That's right," Russ spoke up and Adam knew that he was just warming up. "You're just a girl; why should we listen to you? Just because you're coach Orion's niece doesn't mean you know anything about hockey."

Carter simply held up a hand with her palm facing the team. This simple action caused several intakes of breath although Carter remained quite calm. The gesture was merely meant to bring silence before the team could break out into an unintelligible mass of voices with no real merit.

"Wu, is it correct for me to assume that you are all looking for my credibility?" She picked Ken; no one would have thought she would ask Ken. Adam himself had thought that she would go after Charlie. It all made sense; Carter didn't really want a huge argument to break out. She wanted to actually figure this out. This act had some of the Ducks' level of respect rising for the assistant coach.

"Yeah, I guess that's it. We want to know what gives you the right to coach us when we've never seen you do anything other than skate backwards and tell us we're not doing it right." Ken spoke on behalf of the team without as much contempt or anger as say Portman, Fulton or Charlie himself would have.

"Alright then, I'm actually a little disappointed. With how my uncle described you I thought you would have acted up the very first practice. You truly must be growing up. Let me first explain what I am capable of doing for you off of the ice. I am doing a year of independent study which means when I'm not here at the rink I'm in the library studying to my heart's content. If you are struggling with a class or need help studying you can find me there and I can offer my service as a tutor. I have already completed my tenth year and should be able to help with anything you need help with."

The team was looking around at each other; they had to wonder how smart Carter really was after that spiel. They didn't know what it really meant to have a year off for independent study and no one seemed to want to interrupt her and so they all exchanged looks as if to tell everyone to catalogue that bit of information.

"I'm also a licensed junior EMT. For those of you that don't quite understand that I did a program that allows me to legally treat any injuries. In the simplest terms I am very, very good at administering first aid. So when Banks injures his wrist in the middle of the second period I can take care of it efficiently so that he won't risk further damage until he can go to a hospital to have it double checked to make sure there isn't a fracture or a break."

Adam flushed at being singled out. He was known for being easily injured but had no clue that Carter had been let in on that fact. It wasn't that it was easy to injure him it's more that he's singled out as being one of the best players and the opposing team often hopes that by bringing him down they will defeat the Ducks as well. That didn't usually happen though.

"As for what I can do for you on the ice. I have been playing hockey since I was four years old; I am well informed on what it takes to be the best and I am capable of melding you into the best. I will be training you in dance for flexibility. I will be taking you every week to do weight training. We will be running; we will be doing yoga. I will be finding your flaws and strengthening them and I will find your strengths and condition you so that your strength works for the team; not just for you." Carter paused in her speech and made eye contact with every player.

What they saw was disturbing. They were blank. It looked more like someone had shoved rocks into her eye sockets with how emotionless they were. There was no mirth or a glow or even a sign of life in there. She was a well trained robot by now and that was scary.

"My own accomplishments are among hockey championships, soccer championships, first place trophies in track and field, dance and an extensive knowledge of self-defence and I'm working on my black belt in karate. And in case you were curious, yes, I was enrolled in military school and yes I was trained in firearm procedures. And no, Portman, this is not the reason why I am such a frigid bitch. Now are you going to skate those laps or am I going to have to cancel your game because you are inadequate little worms?"

The last sentence was barked out and followed by a long shrill blast on her whistle. The team jumped and Goldberg fell over from shock. Having been thoroughly put in their places the Ducks commenced with their laps while Carter stood in the center of the rink glaring at the wall with her arms crossed.

Adam watched her and had to admire how she always looked so put together no matter what she was wearing. Today were a pair of baggy grey sweatpants with holes in the knees and a form fitting black sweater on top that fell off her shoulders to reveal a grey tank top with lace along the edge of the top and thin straps that barely concealed her yellow bra straps.

Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and it only worked to reveal the soft ivory skin at the back of her neck.

"Alright team; take a knee." She barely raised her voice but everyone heard her and complied to her soft spoken command. It took a few moments for Carter to tear her eyes away from the wall and look at them. She almost seemed like a real person at that moment when her mind was obviously somewhere else. And then she looked at Luis sprawled on the ice and became the drill sergeant they had come to despise.

"Starting on Monday I will be doing some one on one training with you. Coach Orion will start the practice with a few warm up laps, stretches and a scrimmage. Near the last half an hour of practice I will pull one of you from the game and we will do some work together. I will work one on one with each of you at every practice. The length of time I spend with any of you is not a testament to your skill level." Carter smirked here. "In fact if I spend several days with any of you it is clearly for my own amusement."

Carter then skated off the ice and coach Orion skated on to take over the rest of the practice.

He stared after his niece and then back to his team who were just now getting their breaths back.

"So you guys finally decided to be Ducks and stand up for yourselves huh? Did she end up mentioning the fact that she could kill five of you with one of her ice skates before you even noticed what she was doing? That one always gets a lot of attention."

The team stared blankly at their coach and Averman gulped audibly.

"Oh, I see I've said too much. Alright Gaffney get in goal, the rest of you line up to take shots and then hit the showers."

"Oh my god, can she really do that?" Averman asked shrilly.

"Nah, he's probably exaggerating." Russ shook it off, like he did most things.

"Do you really think she's done everything she says she has?" Ken asked, adjusting his helmet as he lined up behind Connie.

"I doubt it and if she has she probably wasn't very dedicated to have had all those interests. She wouldn't have any time to sleep if she did." Connie responded.

"What the hell are independent studies?" Fulton asked with a look of disdain.

"I have no idea, but she hangs out in the library." Portman responded with a look of disgust. "I didn't even know we had a library on campus."

"Did y'all see her eyes? What did they do to her in that school of hers?" Dwayne asked in his Texan twang.

"They turned her into a robot; I think she needs to be broken in Duck style." Charlie suggested.

"No way, that girl has to have a heart of ice." Guy commented, meanwhile Adam was focusing on getting the puck by Julie. He was shut out and while he skated by to the end of the line he heard Charlie quite clearly.

"Who better to melt her heart than us Ducks? We're a great loveable team; right Banksie?"

"Leave me out of this one, Charlie."

"I agree with Banks, that girl is more likely to strangle us than hug us. I mean have any of you seen her smile and I mean really smile?" Connie asked.

"Well we'll never know if we don't try. Who doesn't like ducks?" Charlie was always the optimist. He always believed things could go his way.

Adam didn't think Carter was likely to ever go Charlie's way. Oh well, he and the rest of the more intelligent side of the team could just sit back and watch the show. Hey, maybe when Carter kills Charlie Adam could become the new team captain. That'd be pretty cool.

* * *

Please review; what do you think of Carter? I think I made her out to be too Mary Sue-ish but everyone has their own skeletons..... I better write down what they are before I forget.... just kidding.


	3. Favorites

For the first time in w hat felt like months the Ducks went to practice and didn't see Carter already on the ice waiting for them. Instead she was sitting in the stands watching with critical eyes. She was wearing skates, not that any of them noticed that. The team began their laps and then Orion divided them into teams and from there they began to play.

Luis had stolen the puck from Adam about three minutes into the scrimmage and was heading to the goal to take on Julie. He shot, she stopped it and then he crashed into the goal and didn't get up. The team crowded around him, Julie and Adam were talking to him quietly; asking if he could get up.

Luis' attempt at getting off the ice was pitiful; the rink was spinning and he was tired.

"Great, our game is two days away and Luis just put himself out of commission." Russ commented to Charlie who was looking at his teammate with a sombre expression on his face.

"Move," Carter commanded in her cold voice. This was the first time the pitch had changed to sound the least bit concerned. She was next to Luis in a flash and taking off his helmet; she placed a folded up towel under his head and asked Luis to follow her finger. She asked him some questions about how he felt and came to a simple conclusion.

"He's definitely got a concussion. Reed, Portman please escort Mendoza to coach Orion's car. He needs to go to the hospital to make sure he didn't crack his skull." Fulton and Dean with the assistance of Carter and Coach Orion helped Luis onto his feet and carried him off of the ice.

Carter and the team stared after them even after they disappeared from sight. Carter turned to the team with that steely look in her eyes and nearly snarled at them.

"What are you standing around for? Get into face off position!"

The team did as she asked while Carter sat and watched the team pretty much run themselves on the ice. It wasn't until the scrimmage was tied that anything interesting happened. Charlie went up to Carter on a brief water break and put on his charm.

"So, Carter tell me a bit about yourself," Charlie requested in what he thought was a smooth voice.

"What do you need to know that I haven't already told you?" Carter asked coolly; avoiding looking at Charlie. She was casually leaning against the side of the rink and running her skate repeatedly on the ice.

"Well, what's your favourite color?" Charlie asked at random.

Carter turned to him with a smirk on her lips.

"Black; like my soul," she taunted.

"Okay, what about your favourite movie?"

"Heathers," Carter looked disinterested in the current conversation and Charlie was grasping for straws.

"What's your favourite food?" Every muscle in Carter's body seemed to go rigid and her jaw clenched tightly. Her body slowly relaxed as she turned her petrifying glare onto Charlie.

"Look Conway, I don't see how I'm any of your business okay? So just get off my back and play hockey. I did not come here to make friends with some scholarship kids that think they're the biggest thing since sliced bread because they've won a few titles." Her voice wasn't raised and that might have been what was so shocking. It was just how truthful and calm she sounded.

Charlie was stunned into silence; a hard feat to accomplish.

"Carter?" A soft feminine voice called. The entire team turned to the unfamiliar voice; but no one turned as quickly as Carter did.

"Truscott," she breathed. Charlie was the only one to hear this barely uttered word. The girl in question was small in camouflage pants and a green tank top with dog tags shining under the fluorescent lighting. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her eyebrows were arched just enough to look surprised. She looked uncertain and when Carter faced her and gave a salute that she returned shakily she began to cry.

"Sofia," she cried out and fell to her knees next to an overstuffed duffel bag. She repeated this name over and over through her tears. Carter was off like a shot; skating hard. She didn't stop when the ice did; just jumped and landed on her knees in front of the girl.

Carter's arms encircled the smaller girl and held her close; she allowed her to cling and cry to her and she spoke soothing words and affectionately rubbed the sobbing girl's back. The team had never seen Carter looking so human; so compassionate and approachable.

"Anna, baby girl, it's going to be okay. I'll help you but you have to tell me what the problem is." There was warmth to her voice that they had never heard. "Take a deep breath and let it go slowly. It will help you breathe better." Anna did as she was told; not once but several times.

"Sofia convinced my father to stop paying my tuition so I was asked to leave the school and I had no way to get home. Ray gave me some cash to take the bus and when I got home Sofia kicked me out. I asked my dad for some money to get to a friend's house when I went to see him at work and he gave me enough for bus fare to California. I remembered you said you were coming to Minnesota so I decided to come see you, because you always know what to do." Anna explained sniffling and practicing her heavy breathing throughout the explanation.

"I'll find you a place to stay. You look like you haven't slept in days." Carter commented pushing the hair that stuck to Anna's face behind her ears. "I don't think I can take you home with me; I have to ask my uncle first and he just went to the hospital. I don't know when he'll get back."

Anna weakly rubbed her face to rid it of tear stains. "I wish just once you wouldn't be so right is right and following all code of conduct to the letter. You're always so proper; it's so inconvenient." She laughed but Carter could sense the truth to her words and looked away from her friend to the doors of the rink.

"She can stay at my place," Charlie hadn't realized he had spoken until everyone was staring at him. "My mom loves kids and my step dad is on business. She'd love some company, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Just until Carter asks coach if she can stay with them." He defended his declaration vivaciously.

"Okay, let's call it a day. Conway please don't dawdle." Carter still sounded human; it took a moment for the team to react to her.

Goldberg was the first to speak as the door shut behind them in the change room. "Does anyone else feel like they're in the twilight zone?"

"Do you think that her name is Sofia?" Fulton asked.

"No, didn't you listen? Sofia is that girl's step mom." Kenny spoke up being one of the few guys on the team with any sense of logic.

"I was seriously starting to consider that Carter was a robot." Averman commented leaning on his hockey stick.

"Obviously they knew each other, Carter and that girl I mean. Maybe we could get some inside information out of her. What do you think, Captain Duck?" Charlie barely acknowledged the team until Guy used his nick name.

"I could always ask." He said absently. The team began to snicker at something Charlie was not in on. "What?"

"Your shirt is on inside out." Portman commented through his bouts of laughter.

"And you're missing a sock." Russ added, lifting the aforementioned sock with his hockey stick.

"Y'all leave him alone. Charlie was just being gentlemanly." Dwayne chastised. Charlie ignored all of this and righted himself before escaping the change room without as much as a goodbye.

"You know, Carter doesn't seem so scary anymore." Luis commented.

"I don't know what you're talking about; the girl still terrifies me." Goldberg chook his head while pulling off his pads.

"I know what you mean, Goldie. I have nightmares of her coming into my room all," Averman curled his fingers into claws and bared his teeth and began to growl causing the team to break into laughter once more.


	4. 314

There was supposedly this theory about safety in numbers. The more people around the safer a person can be. This was the thought process of Dwayne Robertson, Greg Goldberg, Lester Averman, Russ Tyler and Fulton Reed as they took their first ever venture into the Eden Hall library. They walked together like a flock of animals; eyes shifting from side to side to take in this unfamiliar environment.

"Come on, she said she'd be in the back." Fulton said in his normal voice only to be shushed by the batty librarian and several stressed out seniors. He jumped as did the rest of the group and they picked up their pace heading straight. They reached the very back wall of the library and looked around. It was Dwayne that spotted her first and pointed her out to his teammates. Carter could barely be seen behind a tower of books and was immersed in a text so thick that the only reason any of those boys would pick it up would be to hit each other with it. She was tucked away in the back corner with a table to herself.

Russ was the silently chosen leader as the other boys followed him to the table. Carter looked up at their approach and closed her book. Her inquisitive stare was unnerving but not hostile which helped the boys to relax.

"Yes?" She asked softly. Soft and Carter did not go together; they were completely opposite.

"We were wondering if you could help us with some school work." Russ stated for the group although his usual obnoxious confidence was nearly diminished in the presence of Carter. She smiled up at them almost warmly.

"Of course, take a seat." The guys didn't have to be told twice. Each one of them claimed a chair around the table quickly. Carter surveyed the group of boys. She wasn't surprised that these were the ones that needed a bit of assistance in academics. Not that she thought them stupid but some of them came from different states with different tactics for education.

Then there are just those people that have a hard time with certain subjects. She pegged these boys as the ones that probably had a problem course. She also expected to see Guy Germaine and Charlie Conway but recent developments had shown that Germaine and Moreau were dating. She was smart and could help Germaine with his work.

Dean Portman also seemed like someone to slack in studies. She didn't worry about his absence. If he wanted to play he'd come to see her. Conway was obviously busy dealing with Anna. Carter was anxious to see her uncle and discuss Anna's place of residency. She pushed her personal worries to the back of her mind and focused to her task at hand.

"So what subjects do you need assistance in?" She asked robotically.

"Well, I'm having a bit of trouble in the science, math and English subjects." Dwayne offered in his shy Texan twang. Carter nodded and turned her penetrating gaze onto Goldberg.

"I'm have more difficulty with let's say; all of them. I do okay on my own in English and science but math and history just aren't my subjects." Carter knew that Goldberg's main problem would be sheer laziness. She would have to work him hard. She was subtly taking notes on the boys' weaknesses so that she would be able to reference them later. She was no teacher but she had headed a study group in her old school.

"I'm having trouble in my math class." Averman confessed, though secretly he was satisfied with the information that he only had trouble with one class.

"I'm not really that into reading and writing so I don't like English so I'm not good at it. Same with history; it's just really boring. I mean what does American history matter any in my life?" Carter was already devising a plan to help Reed enjoy reading.

"I'm having trouble with history and English like my boy Fulton. I'm not that into reading." Russ agreed clapping his friend and teammate on the shoulder.

"Okay well for now I want you to just take out your work for the classes you're struggling with and I'll help you to my best ability. By tomorrow I should have a schedule for you and we can assess and tackle each of your problems for one on one work. I'll be here on the weekend if you need me to be." Carter informed them.

And then it slid into place for Dwayne that Carter was really a nice and good person. She was self-sacrificing and willing to do whatever it took to help them. It was the same thing she had told them when they first met her only it seemed a lot less scary and cold and a lot more warm now. Maybe Charlie's idea to break her down wasn't so crazy after all.

"You know, Carter, off the ice you sure are a lot nicer." He mentioned after she pointed out that he just had a habit of forgetting to carry a number over. Something he would have to work on in his math.

"It would appear so, wouldn't it?" She had murmured softly with her hands behind her back as she circled their table and looked over their work. Despite Dwayne's solo epiphany no one else in the group had seen the light in Carter. To the rest of the Ducks she seemed like a predator circling her prey getting ready to go for the kill.

Eventually the boys got on the right track and Carter could sit down and begin to work out a schedule and take notes on what problems the boys were having. Occasionally one of them would run into a bump in their work and ask Carter for help and she would explain it to the best of her ability. Other than those brief moments of interruption the boys were all silent and working efficiently.

"Hey, Banks have you seen Fulton?" Dean Portman called across the trim lawn of Eden Hall. Adam shrugged in response. He didn't know where anyone was; well he knew Guy and Connie were off being a couple somewhere and that Charlie was trying to explain Anna to his mom. He also knew that Julie was hanging out with Scooter and that Ken was on the phone with his family back in California. Everyone knew that Luis was still in the emergency room since none of them had seen him since practice.

"I've checked everywhere; it's like he got sucked up by a black hole."

"I know I can't find Goldberg, Averman, Russ or Dwayne anywhere either."

"Where on earth could they be?" Adam was struck with a sudden idea.

"Have you tried the library?"

"Do you honestly think that Fulton would be in the library? I don't even know where that is!"

"Well it's worth a shot. You never know he might have just followed a pretty girl in there." Adam suggested.

"You're right Banks that does sound like Fulton. Do you know where the library is?" Adam sighed and nodded. Together he and Portman crossed campus to the library.

"This place is huge!" Portman exclaimed only to get shushed by the elderly librarian and several hardworking students. Portman glared at the students and muttered 'nerds' under his breath making Adam grin for a moment.

The searched the cubicles and the front tables before making their way through the aisles where couples like to typically make out. Adam and Portman didn't find them until they checked the last aisle and were shocked into silence.

There sitting around the table looking like studious students were their friends. As if that wasn't shocking enough but they were sitting with Carter.

"Carter, what's the number for Pi again?" Dwayne asked quietly.

"3.14," she whispered back.

"What the hell?" Portman asked taking the words right out of Adam's mouth. What the hell indeed. What the hell was Carter doing to their friends? And why the hell wasn't Charlie here to see this? Adam smiled.

Charlie would have freaked, library or not.


	5. Game

The first game of the season had the Ducks buzzing with excitement. Their progress reports had cleared them all to play. Coach Orion had been amazed at how high the marks actually were. He had sent a knowing look to Carter who pretended not to notice her uncle's subtle praise.

Things with Anna had been settled. Mrs. Conway had gotten her a job at the diner she worked at. Next year Anna would be enrolled in Eden Hall as a student alongside Carter to both their chagrin. Carter's uncle had taken up guardianship of Anna though the legality of it had yet to be drawn up. They had excellent representation in the form of Gordon Bombay.

Carter seemed a little on edge the day of the game which unnerved the entire team; especially Adam who took his playing very seriously. She stood rigid with her arms crossed and no expression on her face. She still managed to do all of this and look attractive but unapproachable. The opposing team learned that the hard way.

She stood behind the team on the bench listening to her uncle's pep talk before they began their well known pre-game chant. She didn't join in but watched as the first line took their positions on the ice.

"Hey, maybe Carter can scare the team into forfeiting the game?" Averman suggested offhandedly. At the stares of his teammates he held up his hands in surrender and tossed a glance over his shoulder to be met with a glare. "Kidding, kidding."

The glare didn't lessen. Though Carter's gaze shifted to the ice as the puck was dropped. She gave a little shout of joy (which went unheard over the roar of the spectators and the sounds of the game) when Adam easily won the face off. Other than that she was emotionless and calculating; looking for areas of improvement and studying the opponent.

The Ducks took an early lead but were soon being bogged down and falling behind.

"We need to work on stamina." Carter muttered to herself as she massaged along Connie's wrist. She had been checked hard into the boards and when she came back to the bench wasn't holding her stick in the same hand she played with. There was already bruising but Carter hadn't found a break or a fracture. It was just extremely sore.

That was unless Connie was lying, but she didn't seem the type. Lying about an injury was so obviously an Adam thing to do; or so Carter had heard. By the time that the second period had ended the score was tied and coach Orion and Carter were none too pleased about that fact.

"Do you want to yell at them or should I?" Coach Orion asked his niece as they followed shortly after the team to the change room.

"I'm younger, healthier and less likely to have a stroke if my blood pressure gets too high. Plus I think they're more scared of me. I'll yell at them." Coach almost wanted to laugh at her dry wit but he knew that what she said was not meant to be taken as a joke.

Carter stood in front of the door to the change room for a moment before her foot was flying off the ground and colliding with the heavy metal. It flew open with tremendous speed and Carter took the moment to step through the door before it rebounded off the wall to slam shut.

The room was still and silent; the team stared at Carter and seemed to instinctively curl into themselves. Perhaps if they were small enough she wouldn't notice them. They had never seen her looking so out of control and livid; and yet she still managed to look so indifferent. Her hands hung limp at her sides but her muscles somehow seemed tightly coiled as if she were prepared to lash out at any moment.

"What are you doing out there? Have any of you trained in the off season? I thought you were holding out in practice but you really are just lazy little pukes." The Ducks found their defences going up. Charlie, Connie and Portman bristled with indignation. "I have heard such amazing things about this team. I don't know where people get off putting you all up on a pedestal. This was one of the biggest disappointments of my life."

Carter made eye contact with each player to emphasize her point. Some looked away in shame feeling the sincerity in her words. Others kept their guards up under the pretence of anger and upset.

"You better believe that practices are going to focus on stamina. We got thirty seconds into the second period and you all got sluggish. Meanwhile your opponents are at the same energy level as period one. This is what I want you to do when you get out there for our last stand. Robertson you need to stop showboating, Gaffney keep in motion. You've gotten cold in net. Banks, number three on the opposing team is slow on his right; use that next time he tries to pressure you. Their goalie always hesitates stick side; use that to your advantage."

For a moment the team just stared at Carter expectantly.

"Oh, no way; I'm no good at giving pep talks." She muttered turning on her heel and stomping out of the change room.

"But for a second there I really thought she was on the brink of something almost nice," Goldberg commented in her wake. The team shared a disbelieving look before chorusing simultaneously: "Nah."

Though there was no pep in Carter's talk the team seemed to be playing a lot harder than they had in the second period. They were thankfully picking up the slack. They took Carter's advice on the opposing team's goalie and were up three points due to shooting stick side for the majority of the time.

It didn't mean that the other team wasn't still fighting hard. It came down to another tie with thirteen seconds left in the third period. It was moments like this that Adam Banks thrived on; he felt weightless and at the same time like there was something heavy in his gut. The adrenaline was pumping through him as the end drew near.

Guy passed the puck up to him and he skated hard toward the goal. Carter bit her lip in anticipation standing on her tip toes to get a better view. Number three was pressuring Adam up near the goal.

It happened in slow motion; Adam went left and at the last second brought the puck and himself to the right getting past the large enforcer.

He shot stick side and it was over. The Ducks won by a one point lead; but that was enough cause for celebration. The whole team jumped onto the ice to hug their first line center. Russ Tyler was the first player to break free of the team hug. He glided over confidently to the bench where Carter and Coach Orion still stood watching.

He pulled back his helmet and smiled brilliantly at Carter.

"So we won our first game; I think that calls for a prize. Perhaps you might tell us your real name?"

"You won by a point, Tyler. Boy, if your head got any bigger you wouldn't be able to stand up let alone skate." Carter responded instinctively snippy.

Russ's smile fell.

"That was cold, real cold man." Averman commented placing a sympathetic hand on his teammates shoulder. He was smiling though; amused at the rejection that Carter had served. Coach Orion's mouth twitch into an almost smile at their behaviour. His niece certainly knew how to grab a boys attention; even an entire hockey team's attention.


	6. Movies

Charlie Conway stood nervously on his toes outside the door to his own apartment. Since Anna had stayed with the Conway's she had come to forge a strong friendship with Casey, Charlie's mother. Now the teenage hockey player never knew who would be home when he came by.

Finally he put on a brave face and unlocked the door.

"Mom, I'm home!" He called to the apartment, letting the door fall behind him.

"Your mom got called into work, I hope I'm okay." Anna replied from the kitchen. She was obviously baking. Her face was flour spattered and the apron wrapped tightly around her waist seemed to amplify her figure rather than create a human box (as Charlie noticed sometimes happened to women in aprons).

Charlie pretended to think this over. "I suppose you'll do, but it really depends on what you're baking."

"I'm making homemade pizza for dinner." Anna responded evenly and then a wide smile spread across her face. "How was hockey practice with my dearest friend Carter?"

"Hell, complete and utter hell. She told me that my slap shot needed work. She even told Banks that he wasn't a fierce enough offensive player!"

Anna merely chuckled at the boy, if only he knew what Carter could be like. A smile that clearly stated she had an idea spread across her face, a mixture of satisfaction and mischief when she looked up at Charlie.

"What do you say we watch a movie?"

The Conway's living room was instantly transformed to a darkened room. Charlie leaned back into the couch cushions while enjoying some of the pizza Anna had prepared while she sat in front of the VCR with a bag that made a lot of noise when moved.

Anna had gone through a phase of recording everything and anything just for the sake of it. Carter was all too willing to be subjected to the camera in her face. Anna remembered a time where Carter could be downright pleasant, almost too nice for her own good. She remembered a Carter that laughed and smiled. She remembered a girl full of dumb jokes, a girl that everyone loved.

Then it all changed, it got dangerous and it got scary and so did Carter. Anna wouldn't dare abandon Carter though, not after all she did and still does for the people she cares about. That list just seemed to have shortened in the last few years. Anna was honoured to be on that list at all.

She didn't have a specific tape in mind at all, Carter was in every one of them and when things began to go downhill for Carter, so did Anna's aspiration for film making. There was maybe one tape that showed glacial Carter.

The first video tape Anna put in had her in a fit of giggles before Charlie even could see what was funny. It had been filmed in the privacy of Anna's room one day during break. The two were adorning Anna's grandmother's wigs and dancing to ABBA.

Charlie was stunned, the girl on screen was so obviously Carter but she was being downright silly and happy. Anna crawled up onto the sofa next to Charlie in time to watch the film cut to a party, red plastic cups and MC Hammer blasting in the background. It was Anna's birthday, and Carter had thrown her a party.

The focus was on the girl in a mass of people singing at the top of her lungs. To the untrained eye she would appear drunk, but since Anna had been there she knew that Carter was only intoxicated on life.

"Dun, nada nun, can't touch this!"

The girl turned and grinned at the camera.

"Anna, darling, are you having fun at your birthday party you camera whore?"

Charlie was stunned.

"Does Carter have a good twin out there, somewhere?" He asked.

Anna smiled and laughed shaking her head.

"Nope, that's the very same Carter, two years ago, actually. It's amazing how she's changed huh?"

Carter was beat boxing and attempting to rap. It wasn't working out too well through her laughter.

"Forget you man, this is a failure to communicate."

Charlie took a deep breath and prepared for the plunge. This was it, his one and only chance.

"Why did she change?"

And it was out there, Anna looked at Charlie like he had six heads.

"Like I'm stupid enough to tell you that, we both know that Carter could kill both of us with one ice skate."

Anna did make a valid point. The two watched Carter as she put on her makeup in the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful yellow sun dress.

"Loser, can you go five minutes without recording me?"

"So, do you want to like... go out or something?" Charlie asked. Anna once more stared at him like he had six heads, shrugged and turned back to the television where Carter was rollerblading in some sort of park.

"Sure," she answered.

"Cool," Charlie concluded. Carter was now blowing bubbles with a little girl. "So, do you want to make out?"

"Get real, Conway."


End file.
